I was born in 1932 on Tanjong Rhu Road where I lived with my parents until 1939 when the family left for Scotland. My Dad worked in the 'Municipal Office' as a specialist in Health & Sanitation and latterly as Head of the Singapore Abbatoirs. I understand he was responsible for introducing hygienic standards for the street food traders in the 1920s/30s and humane methods of slaughtering animals at the abbatoirs. He was a member of the Singapore Volunteer Force from 1920 or 1922 until sometime after being released from the Japenese in 1945. He was awarded the MBE by King George in 1940. He was a POW from 1942 to 1945 and spent some time on the Burma Railway.
He married my Mum in 1922 in Singapore. Her name was Leonora Emily Perreau, the eldest daughter of Henry Perreau and Emily Merrells Perreau. My grandfather, Henry Perreau was Church Warden of St Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore from 1922 - 1942 and is remembered by a plaque in the Cathedral at the end of the Warden's pew.
My Mum never returned to Singapore after leaving in 1939 but I have had the privilege of visitng a number of times since 1984 - the most recent being January 2009. She would not speak of her family, being ashamed of her status as Eurasian, no matter how many questions I asked. I am immensely proud of my heritage and place of birth and love nothing better than being in Singapore, so you will realise how much I wish I knew more about the Perreau and Merrells family history. (Could my Mum have been Paranaken? Friends in Singapore think she might have been when they have looked at her photograph.)
I have researched as much as I can, but have drawn two blanks between 1685 when a Daniel Perreau came to London, England from France, fleeing from religious persecution, being a Hugeunot and the present day. I would love to know who the following women were in the Perreau family tree. Alexander Montague Perreau married Leonora Marquand in St Andrew's Cathedral in 13/05/1867. Who was his Mother (married to Charles Perreau, born 17/10/1811 in Bencoolen, Sumatra and who was his Grand-mother, married to Robert George Perreau, born 12/12/1786 in Calcutta, Bengal, India?
Can anyone help me trace these two person and tell me their names and nationalities?
Growing up in Scotland so long ago, a part coloured boy, was quite a challenge when our family was the only non-pure Scots in the small town. I was seven when I discovered I was 'different' from all the others at school and had to endure bigotted, ignorant racism. It might have helped if my Mum could have talked to me about it and if my Dad had been home instead of being a POW in Singapore and Burma. With maturity and a wonderful loving and understanding wife and two daughters of my own, I have come to terms with my 'exotic' background and to be proud of who I am and what I have achieved in my long and full life.
As my 77 years take their toll and my terminal cancer looks over my shoulder, nothing would give me greater fulfilment than discovering who those two women were in my past. Can anyone out there help me?
Douglas Wilson